The difference between water jade and jadeite

Shuimo jade is the common name for albite jade and quartzite jade among the people. It is also commonly known as "Shuimozi" in the China-Myanmar border area where it is produced. The local people in Tengchong and Ruili on the China-Myanmar Yunnan border call water flowers "Mozi", because Shuimo jade has the property of being crystal clear, it is given this name.

1. Introduction of Water Jade

Ingredients: Main minerals: albite, and a small amount of pyroxene minerals and amphibole minerals. The "blue flower" in the floating blue flower is amphibole mineral. The main varieties are black water foam, white water foam, and blue flower. The refractive index of water foam is 1.530-1.535 (jade 1.654-1.667), the specific gravity is 2.65-2.48 (jade 3.30-3.36), and the hardness is 5.5-6 (jade 6.5-7). Water foam jade is also produced in Myanmar. It is a companion mineral of jade. Its main component is albite, followed by a small amount of pyroxene minerals and amphibole minerals. It does not show jadeite when observed under a magnifying glass. It contains more stone flowers or white cotton, and has good transparency and water head. The name "Shuimozi" is an accurate description of its external characteristics, just like the water in a small ditch falling from high to low, and the foam on the surface of the splashing water. If you look closely, the density and glossiness of the structure are not as good as those of regular jade. The current price of water jade is only one thousandth of that of glass jadeite. It is particularly noteworthy that water jade is a variety that has only appeared in recent years. It can be said that it has emerged along with the collection craze of the times along with emerging jade materials such as Huanglong jade. Its characteristics are very similar to the appearance of jadeite ice and glass.

During the first Yunnan Jade Carving Masters Exhibition, Wang Chaoyang said in an exclusive interview that water jade is called "the most beautiful and purest jade" not only because it is clear and transparent, comparable to crystal, but also because it is a companion mineral to jadeite. He explained that the hardness of water jade is the same as that of jadeite, but its density is slightly lower than that of jadeite.

Wang Chaoyang said: "Nowadays, people love jade, which shows that Chinese people at this time are outspoken and have their own personality. As for postmodern Chinese people, they pursue purity, elegance and wealth, just like the water foam jade that brings people a sense of coolness."

Wang Chaoyang interpreted "Shuimo Jade" as "The highest good is like water, which helps each other with spittle". Just like what Laozi and Zhuangzi expressed, Shuimo Jade has the same nature as water, which benefits all things without competing for fame and fortune.

Wang Chaoyang said: "Compared with jadeite, water jade may have a lot of room for appreciation because the price of jadeite has risen too high now."

From the current perspective, Shui Mo Jade has not attracted much attention, and high-quality Shui Mo Jade carvings are almost invisible on the market. In the market, because of the lack of attention, the price of water jade is only one percent of that of jadeite. Due to the low price, many merchants are reluctant to use shuimo jade as material. Wang Chaoyang said, "For example, the material cost of a high-quality jade pendant is 100,000 yuan. With good creativity and carving, you can make tens of thousands of yuan after selling it." However, if you use shuimo jade, the material cost of the same texture is only 1,000 yuan, and you can only make a few thousand yuan at most after carving it, so many businesses are unwilling to do it.

2. How to distinguish

Shuimozi is a jade stone that is associated with jadeite veins. Its main mineral component is albite, followed by a small amount of pyroxene minerals and amphibole minerals. Shuimozi is a kind of "ice-type" jade with good water head, transparent or translucent. The overall color is white or grayish white, with fewer white spots and color bands, uneven distribution. Those with bluish color bands are called "water-based blue flowers" and are often processed into bracelets, pendants and carvings and sold in the Taiwan market.

Water foam specific gravity: 2.6-2.8, hardness: 5.5-6, glass luster, granular polycrystalline structure.

Naming: Sodium feldspar jade, sodium feldspar jade, quartz jade, etc.

Jade specific gravity: 3.24~3.43

3. Identification of water foam (albite jade) and jadeite:

1. Magnification observation method: Water foam is mainly composed of albite, does not show emerald green, and has more white stone brain or cotton.

2. Weighing by hand: The specific gravity of water bubble jade (2.57 ~ 2.64) is much smaller than that of jadeite (3.24 ~ 3.43). It feels noticeably lighter than jadeite when weighed by hand.

3. Refractive index measurement method: The refractive index of water bubble (1.52 ~ 1.54) is much smaller than the refractive index of jadeite (1.65 ~ 1.68).

4. Look at the gloss. The gloss of water foam is relatively weak, which is due to its low refractive index.

5. Look at the characteristics of the water foam - bubble strings. Note that they are usually not the big bubbles you imagine, but usually very small, parallel strings of small bubbles. They look like crystal patterns at a glance, but under a magnifying glass you will find that they are strings of small bubbles. However, the small bubble strings may be filled with impurities to form tiny floating flowers.

6. Look at the crystal grains through light. You can see the crystal grains of water foam through light. Their size is uniform, with a diameter of 1-2mm, and the shape is different from jadeite.

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